The role Robert De Niro only played for the money: “Let’s be honest about that”
When you look at some of Robert De Niro’s acting choices over the past few decades, you can’t help but wonder what was going on inside his head when he accepted the jobs. Is he really that passionate about starring as someone’s filthy grandad in a cringey comedy or the villain in a D grade children’s movie?
While he became one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars during the 1970s with roles in Mean Streets, The Godfather Part II, and Taxi Driver, all this acclaim clearly made him lose sight of what was most important: continuing this successful streak.
De Niro did manage to maintain his career for quite some time with roles in everything from Raging Bull and Goodfellas to Once Upon a Time in America and Heat, but by the time the 21st century rolled around, he threw caution to the wind and appeared in some absolute shockers.
Terrible comedies and forgettable thrillers have tarnished his reputation as a Hollywood icon, and sometimes, like when you see him starring in yet another ‘mischievous old man’ role, it’s easy to forget you’re dealing with an Oscar winner. He just can’t seem to stay away from some truly awful pieces of cinematic slop.
At least De Niro can be honest about the fact that he has sometimes taken on roles purely for the pay cheque. It’s pretty depressing to hear an actor admit to starring in a movie just to get paid, but at the end of the day, a job is a job, and sometimes a lazy comedy is the fastest way to finance a new car or a lavish holiday.
It must be nice to have that kind of option as an actor, and De Niro has taken full advantage of it throughout his career. Sure, acting isn’t easy work, but there are certainly worse ways to earn a hefty wage. He’s not the only actor who hasn’t admitted to starring in specific movies just for the money, like Michael Caine, who said of Jaws: The Revenge: “I have never seen the film, but by all accounts it was terrible. However, I have seen the house that it built, and it is terrific.”
You could argue that quite a few of De Niro’s movies are just an excuse to get paid, but there is a certain film series that he has specifically admitted to doing purely to watch the number in his bank account go up. During an interview at the Doha Tribeca Film Festival, he was asked what attracted him to appearing in Little Fockers, to which he replied, “Money.”
“I mean, they’re very successful and they’re lucrative, so let’s be honest about that,” he continued, refusing to deny that he liked the financial security of the terrible film. The first installment in the series, Meet the Parents, actually did pretty well to be fair, with De Niro starring as Ben Stiller’s cautious father-in-law, who dislikes him.
It grossed $330.4 million, becoming one of the most successful comedies of the year, leading to the sequel, Meet the Fockers. It might not have been as acclaimed, but it was still a box office hit, spawning a third movie, Little Fockers. This one was a critical disaster, however, with copious reviews emerging that tore the film apart. Still, it grossed over $300 million, with De Niro reportedly earning around $20 million for his performance. Can you blame him for doing it, then?
